The New Lunar Republic
by Roger West
Summary: A simple story of how a war can be the undoing of a entire government. Rated it T due to later chapters most likely having either heavy violence or strong language.
1. Chapter 1

(( Author's note: Okay to start off with setting the basic scene of the Fic's Equestria. Equestria is coming to the close of their Industrial revolution and have a large amount of technology we have today while also staying back military technology such as firearms and other such killing devices due to the one thousands year peace under Celestia because come on, if you haven't even heard of war before except from fairy tales are you going to make weapons to kill on mass? Doubt it. So the military science of Equestria is around the time of the Second World War in comparison to us so they have fully automatic weaponry but it is bulky and not very useful, however the computer science of the time is on comparison to ours albeit around 2003. Anyway that is all cleared up so please enjoy the story and I hope you stick around for the ride ~ Roger West ))

**A spark will show itself**

The clouds were very thick that day, almost like a curtain per say, but it was not the clouds that I was interested in that day. I was interested of the commotion which was going on inside the palace. Now I was a Royal guard at the time, good money but I never did fit the role, I always took peaks on my way back to the barracks through the windows of the palace to see how it was inside. Normally I would simply see the line of my fellow guards standing there and on the odd occasion I would see Princess Celestia talking to advisors or even Princess Luna taking a stroll around the grounds before heading out to bring up the moon. However today was something shocking, all I saw was commotion and fear which made this all the more enticing to see what happened so I did what any other stupid colt would do.

"Hey Ink blot" spoke a familiar voice as I entered the main throne room, I twisted my head around to the voice seeing a snow white unicorn with green eyes staring back at me. "It is Ash cloud now, Dizzy" I nickered towards him "Oh forgives me great Ash cloud" the stallion made a mock bow towards me before continuing "I seriously don't understand why you like that name, it is only because you smoke like one of the factories" Dizzy finished his sentence with a chuckle and a smirk down to his friend.

"Listen Dizzy; just let me switch this shift with you alright?" I gave my brightest smile to him before he nickered "Fine… you owe me one though /Ash/" he smiled back to me as I switched positions with him before turning my gaze onto the reason why I came here.

Princess Celestia was surrounded by her advisors as well as the Captain of the Guard all wore a look of worry and or anger and from what I saw they were trying to see who could win in a shouting competition, in all fairness I would have given that award to the unicorn with bits for a cutie mark he could really shout, I kept my gaze on them and I could pick out a few snippets of conversation even when they were shouting I could barely understand most of it. Something about Griffins and such I never really listened to most things and now when I try to listen my hearing fails me despite the lack of details I heard they all fled my mind when I heard a huff against the back of my helmet. I slowly craned my neck around looking at the person who huffed at me; I wore a frown upon my face before she came into my view which quickly changed my frown into one of my less "professional" stumbles to the floor which was met with her simply stifling a chuckle as she looked down on the pitiful guard pony.

"We are sorry, we did not mean to make you fall but we wonder why you were so intent on listening to the nobles and my sister" she spoke with a soft yet sophisticated voice "I.. sorta.. urrmm…" I stumbled over all of my words barely even being at the level of a drunk after their weekly payment but the Princess simply blushed before speaking again "Ash cloud is it not?".

Now THIS made me jet back up onto my hooves, simple bafflement streaked across my face before she blushed and said quickly "We heard it from the guard while you were speaking to him". I could not keep eye contact with her as my eyes kept getting drawn to her waving navy blue hair before me looking like one of her starry nights making me smile slightly before remembering we were still mid conversation "Sorry Princess, yes I am Ash cloud milady. May I ask why you were so close to hear my conversation?" She stood to her full height, which almost dwarfed me if it weren't for my armour; she cocked her eyebrow "Is one not allowed to be inside their own room?" I looked around to my left spotting the open door which lead into Princess Luna's chambers.

As I realised that I was definitely not an observant pony I blushed and gave the Princess a sheepish grin "Accept my apology milady I did not notice, as you may now know I am not considered a very smart pony" she was taken aback by what I said to which she stamped a hoof and said "You obviously are a smart pony otherwise you would no-.." she slowly sniffed the air before looking down to me "You smoke don't you?" which I could only nod to "Maybe you are not a /smart/ pony but you are one who is not stupid" now that took the grin from my face.

As I took in the image of the Princess I could clearly see she was not the same height as her sister, which was of course given due to her being the younger sister, but she was not short either being about half a hoof with my armour on and I am not one of the shortest ponies around so she is definitely to be considered tall at least. She also had a scent about of her which reminded me of the various roses in the Royal gardens which I always loved to be put on patrol in which peaked my interest.

"Princess, this is not proper of me to ask but have you been in the gardens?" she simply shook her head "We have not, why do you ask?" I simply shrank back into my armour before taking a breath "It is just that you smell of the gardens this evening milady." Now I know that she had something in common with a rose with her cheeks looking that colour. I am sure of it!

"Well we believe we should attend the meeting with our sister" she shrank back slightly before asking softly "Would you like to come?" I looked at her for a second, trying to process what I just heard, before simply nodding and giving her a salute with my hoof which send my oversized helmet scurrying across the floor… I hate my job.

I grabbed my helmet and put my mane back into style. I also hate my mane, my mane and my job, I mean seriously I am not even middle age and I have this grey strip in it I was born with an old buck's hair colour. The Princess looked at me for a second before speaking again "We are sorry, we did not know you were of age, your face tells us different from what your mane says" I sighed at this remark… I am still a young buck Luna Da-.. Never mind.

"Do not worry milady, my mane is a lie to the eye as I was born with this streak making me look older than I am" she had a look of shock on her face so I quickly went on "But thank you for thinking I look mature milady, it is truly a compliment I will hold close." Okay that is it; she is related to a rose somehow, cheeks don't normally go that shade!

As we entered the main throne room I saw just how much of a commotion there truly was; papers were everywhere they could find a place to lay and all of the nobles' jackets were discarded haphazardly which was never good news as a posh pony will NEVER let their coat get dusty unless it is important. As we neared Celestia stood from the throne and looked at us both with a sullen look in her eyes "Luna, why are you here? Guard take her back to her chambers she does not need to hear this" I turned my head to Princess Luna and sighed before placing my hoof in front of her, trying to steer her around, but I was met with a stern look from the dark purple alicorn which made me back down before she gave a small smile and turned her attention to her sister. "Tia' I have as much right to hear the news from the nobles as you do as you know we are only separate by age" her voice was very casual compared to the way she spoke to me and also I got to hear her call the ruler of Equestria Tia' they won't believe THAT in the barracks!

Celestia narrowed her eyes towards me "I said take her back to her chambers guard or do you not accept my orders as your Princess?!" she roared at me making me take several steps back which in turn made my helmet fall to the floor making a crash which was echoed through the chamber. I looked back and forth between the nobles and Princess Celestia before my gaze landed upon my Captain in his dress uniform with an almost… what was that expression, worried? I have not known him for long and that seems to look like a worried face. He simply nodded towards Princess Luna who turned to me with an almost angry look upon her muzzle as she surveyed my armour "Corporal Ash Cloud, will you follow the orders of my sister or will you follow my orders and stand down?" I looked everywhere I could but Celestia's face. I shut my eyes for a second and I suddenly had the though 'I am on the moon now aren't I?' which made me fearful to re-open my eyes for a second too long making me seem a little slow due to the time I took to blink.

"I serve the Princess of the Night; I am of the Nightstream guard milady" I stated simply as I grabbed my helmet from the floor plonking it back on my head before looking back to the nobles. Now if looks could kill then I would have be a pile of mush from the amount of scowls I got from the multiple nobles there but as I gazed to the Captain in his white uniform he simply nodded knowingly to me however Princess Celestia was on the opposite side of the scale, she could have had steam coming from her ears and still not look any angrier wait a second… there is the steam. "Captain, I wish for you to dismiss this guard and take his personal possessions with him" Celestia said coldly earning a gasp from Princess Luna "Are you sure Princess? He is one of my finest" the Captain lied, now I know he was lying because the only thing I was good at was fast drawing my duty revolvers from the sides of my armour with my wings, I lowered my head and bowed down in front of the nobles "I am sorry to have refused your orders Princess but my oath stands with Princess Luna, not you"

Princess Luna had such a smile on her face that I would not regret getting fired for this if I had put that smile on her face and I guess my gaze lingered a second to long as she let out a slight blush as she turned to her sister "I will not allow his dismissal Tia', he shall stay" her words were emphasized by a strike of her hoof against the marble floor. I looked up from my bowed position and re-found my ground with all four hooves and returned beside Princess Luna "Do not worry milady, I am always to serve the will of the night" I spoke with a smile upon my face before turning and trotting out the throne room. I really need a smoke…

(( : Thank you for reading, I would be very appreciative if you can post any faults with the story and maybe even a few ways I could help my writing. Again, thank you and I hope you keep with the story until the end ))


	2. Chapter 2

**The Night sky above**

I hate my job more than ever when I need a smoke. They make me stand out here in the cold dark night while I smoke as apparently smoking is a fire hazard, like hell I am stupid enough to drop my ash onto the floor or fall asleep with a cigarette in my mouth, I bet it is just because most of the guard don't smoke so they make us stand outside while everyone else simply laughs at us shivering our arses off in the dark.

"Mind if I have one?" spoke a voice I knew well but as always I had to turn to confirm but just as I expect I found an ivory unicorn standing before me in Royal blue armour with a trim of gold. "Of course" I chimed before passing out one of my many cigarettes before his face turned grim "You know that it is not wise to anger Princess Celestia, look alone what she done has done to guards she has trusted, let alone a corporal like yourself" I knew this would happen… I always get to be on the side that gets scolded and berated but I guess I do deserve most of what I get. I slowly let the smoke escape my lips before sighing "I am sorry Captain, I just have to stand by my oath and that is to Princess Luna not Celestia" now that was obviously something he did not want me to say as my sentence was replied with a cloud of smoke to my face... how did he light his cigarette, I didn't give him my lighte-.. Oh yeah, unicorn. "First of all, it is Rook Ink Blot. Don't call me by my rank if you can, it just feels so dequinizing to say the least" I slowly nodded now knowing the name of my Captain "Secondly, don't go around refusing orders from Celestia she already wants your helmet for what you did. Head included of course" he finished with a grim smirk across his face.

"I.. I am sorry Rook, is there any way out of this?" I squeaked out as my voice cracked mid-sentence which earned me a chuckle from him before I shied away into my corner "You are lucky Ink Blot, you have a salvation this one time. Luna wants you as her personal guard" What…? "I am not kidding Ink, she wants you as you have been the only guard to stand up against Celestia for her" What…? "You aren't getting fired" Oh.. I can deal with that! "Thanks, I guess"

"You're hopeless" he punctuated his sentence with another cloud hitting my face making my eyes water. "So what will I have to do as Princess Luna's personal guard Cap-.. Rook?" I spoke with a slight stutter over 'personal guard' as I was still trying to realise what I was to be doing for the rest of my career "Simple as, all patrol duties will be switches to her chambers in the morning and when she ventures out you will go with her, simple as it gets" he slowly took off his helmet showing his dishevelled brown mane "You better do good in this job or Princess Celestia will be sending you to the Moon!" he laughed at his own joke but actually made me get a little scared at such a though "Don't worry Rook, I will do my best"

-/-

By the time is came around morning I went through the same routine as always; wash, smoke, eat, brush teeth and finally put on my armour, simple as always if it weren't for Dizzy hounding me about what happened when I took his post "Look Dizzy, I got shouted at, that is all now bugger off" I grumbled while placing on my oversized helmet "You are no fun you know that Inkie, never telling your best friend about your misdoings, it is plain insulting!" he had that chuckle on him this morning which even though I didn't have a hangover it felt like I did at that point of time "Look, stop calling me Ink Blot it is Ash, as I said before, and I will smoke you out next time you try to sleep if you don't shut it" he trotted past slowly keep his eyes squared onto mine as he drew a breath "Never any fun!" to which he ran off chuckling madly as he does so. I was so going to camp outside his window while I take my evening smoke tonight.

-/-

As I walked down the halls I finally found the post at which I was yesterday, as I looked around before settling down I found it was a very nice spot to be in; good view of Canterlot from the window opposite me while also being at the forefront of all visitors to visit the two Princess so I get to know even more about the current affairs in the Kingdom, or should it be a principality due to only having Princesses and not a Queen or King or would it be considered a republic due to the various councils of the cities like Trottingham. I think I should write a book about the political situation in Equestria as it would be quite a big book due to all the considerations you would need to put into it whi-.. Where did my helmet go? "Hello Ash Cloud" spoke a soft voice behind me "You don't need to wear your helmet" I pivoted on my hooves till I could see the culprit. Gosh was I surprised when I saw those bright blue eyes staring into mine "Urmm.. thank you Princess, is anything the matter?" my voice was filled with hesitation as I slowly grasped my helmet from her soft clutch.

"No, don't worry. I am sorry for disrupting your thoughts but you looked so funny looking out the window" she gave me a smile which for some reason made me smile back, guess it was just one of those smiles, but I slowly plonked my helmet back on "Well thank you for telling me that, I will try not to make myself look like a fool if I can help it Princess" her eyes wavered for a second before opening her mouth "Call me Luna" she shuffled her hooves as I met her gaze again "Excuse me Princess?" she continued to shuffle her hooves "Please, call me Luna" now this was surprising, a Alicorn Princess asking me to call her by her first name, I must be moving up in the world "Of course Luna" she yet again pulled off one of her now signature blushes "Would you like me to accompany you anywhere, Luna?" I had to speak up to break the silence, which is one thing I can't stand. "Yes, if you could accompany one to the gardens that would be most appreciated" Gosh did she have a gratitude to her style of speech, it is like listening to a noble who wants to one up their own class, but I could not comment on such a thing so I simply nodded and walked alongside the Alicorn.

As we reached the gardens I was met with the same scent I had been when I first met Luna, it was a rich smell but also sweet to the senses. I always liked it in the gardens as it was quiet enough for you to have time to think and also was not visited as much by officers so I also had time to smoke while I thought but unfortunately this always led to me bringing out a packet whenever I entered the gardens by mere routine which now being in company brought a look down onto me "Why do you smoke such things Ash Cloud?" the soft voice startled me "I don't rightly know."

As the Silence grew I knew that I would have to be the one who broke it yet again as the Princess seemed to be very meek when it came to conversations with other ponies "It is just.. they calm me down and allow me to think about my situation better" she nodded to this before looking down at the packet "May I have one?" My face must have dropped or I gasped or something as she shook her head and muttered a few choice words which I could not rightly hear "I am sorry Luna, it is just surprising for someone such as you to ask for one. It is quite an honour of sorts" I slowly opened the packet offering one to her "If you truly wish to have one, you may." She shuffled her hooves for a few seconds before she took one from the packet so I chose to join her, I had to shuffle around in my armour for my lighter which I found in the same place as I always did, my chest pocket, and I sparked the lighter holding it to mine and then the Princess' letting the ends emit their amber glow before a chorus of coughs interrupted the amber's glow

"Well my *Cough* that is quite surprising" she blushed as she coughed "Do not worry Luna, everyone coughs once or twice" I slowly puffed out a few rings before shooting an arrow of smoke through three of them which earned me a little 'Oooh' from the Princess before I turned to look at her staring at her cigarette "And that Princess is why they call me Ash cloud, smoke tricks are not my natural talent but they sure do come second nature" I gave my straightest face as I saw her take another puff from her cigarette before slowly letting out a few more coughs. "This feeling is a strange one Ash Cloud, I feel quite focused on anything I look at, it is almost nice" she turned back to me and she gave another one of those one 'if she smiles you smile' smiles before opening her mouth "But we think it is not a thing for one's self" she passed back the cigarette as I dabbed it against my armour and tosses it back inside of the packet, I am thankful that I can just dab these out and use them later as it saves me a lot in money over the course of everything.

We walked through the gardens for another hour before she wished to go to the kitchens for her breakfast which was rather strange due to it almost being mid-day and I would not think that a Princess would be tardy for anything; in fact I thought that the Alicorn Princesses were supposed to be practically perfect in every way but I guess every tale must be false on one or two aspects just like the tails of the guards only being ivory coat with blue manes but here I am a mangy grey coat and a red mane but then again I am a Nightstream guard and we are less in the public eye and more in the actual protecting of the palace but then again I was also not the main feature in the Nightstream guards either I was just a fancy shooter who could handle both a sword and a revolver but I guess I can always get better at being a guard over time and maybe this whole personal guard for Luna might go off without a hitch and I may become a Captain one day.

As Luna finished her meal she asked if we were able to take a stroll around the city, this is quite unheard of from a Princess as she has everything she could ever want in the Palace but due to my oath I just conformed with her request and we made our walk to the front gates.

"Who goes?" commanded a voice from high above the gate, looking up I could see it was not one of the guards from my regiment so I could not use some of our usual banter on my way out "Princess Luna and her guard, we are on our way to the city centre for a tour of sorts!" I bellowed up towards the guard who narrowed his eyes upon me before calling for the gates to be drawn.

-/-

As we made our way around the city centre I was very surprised at the way that the Princess would be so breath taken from the simple site of shops which I would have just walked past without noticing at all which of course struck me as an oddity as the Princess has seen more than I could ever imagine yet she thought of the things I have seen in my life as astonishing. I also have noticed that over the day her manner of speech has been changing to almost the same way she spoke to her sister but with a tint of formal tone to it.

"Is something the matter Ash Cloud?" chimed Luna's soft voice as I shook my head before returning her gaze and looking at her truly concerned expression "Do not worry Luna, I just got caught up in my thoughts for a second" this was answered with a tap on my helmet and a chuckle "You should stay in the now then, less regrets than thinking about what you are about to do." Okay, what was going to happen that I was going to regret? I had to look over my shoulder quickly which was replied with another chuckle from Luna.

"Don't worry, you aren't going to do something you regret" she spoke with a smile across her face but that was not a smile of a prankster or someone trying to get another in trouble it was a chummy smile to say the least yet I could still not shake the paranoia. I lit up another cigarette as we started our return route. The cigarette at least made me feel a little bit calmer…

Luna suddenly stopped in front of a café which was serving to the late lunch ponies who either just got their lunch break or are still here from midday either is likely in Canterlot but what struck me was Luna suddenly looking me in the eye with a puppy dog expression. "Can we please have lunch here?" was she seriously asking me if she could do something? This took me back, making me stagger for a second before gaining my composure "O-Of course Luna, I am simply here to guard you after all, what we do is your decision" I got a beaming smile from her as she happily galloped into the café as I trotted behind her.

After placing our orders and dismissing a few onlookers who were simply amazed that an Alicorn Princess was eating in a café with them. I got my black coffee and she her daisy sandwich which she licked her lips at the sight "Thank you for this Ash Cloud, I really don't know what to say" she spoke with a slightly embarrassed tone, no don't due to all the eyes in the room staring intently towards her "Don't worry Luna, I am simply honouring my oath, but you really don't have to act as if you don't do this with your previous personal guards." Was that pure confusion I saw on her face or was my mind simply playing tricks on me again?

"Not one did offer such things and neither did they agree to accompany me, they all were on order from my sister" she let out a sigh looking down at her daisy sandwich as I sipped at my coffee "I am sorry if that pains you Luna but at least now you have a guard who follows your orders, no?" That brought the smile back to her face as she nodded before taking her first bite from the sandwich letting out a school filly style giggle from the taste I suspected. After we had finished our lunch I paid the bill as I was the only one carrying bits and we set off back to the palace at a even trot.

-/-

As we re-entered the grounds of the palace it was breaching dusk as it does in the days coming up to Hearts Warming. When we came into sight of Luna's chambers I could see that Dizzy had already taken up my post for the night shift which meant he wouldn't be having smoke blown through his barracks window tonight but more of a rude wakeup call in the morning to repay him for this morning. I said my goodbyes to the Princess before do the customary bow.. CLANG! Why don't they make these helmets in smaller sizes… As the Princess places my helmet back on my head in between her laughter she lent down and whispered into my ear "Meet me in the gardens when I am finished raising the moon, I must speak with you in private." And with that she went inside her chambers leaving me stunned for a few seconds.

"Did she just kiss you on the cheek after placing your helmet on?!" yelled Dizzy with a exited look on his face. In unison two voices sounded, one behind the door and one outside the door, both saying the same thing "NO!"

The realisation in Dizzy's eyes that he was heard by Luna was sensational! No need to wake him up anymore either as that more than makes up for this morning but I had to go wait in my barracks until Luna finishes raising the moon so she can speak with me. From the experience today I would not begin to be able to think what she would speak to me about but as they say 'Thinking causes regrets' so I strode off with a smile on my face back to my barracks for a little kip.

(( : Sorry for the wait, I have had to re-write this chapter quite a few times to try and get the right feel that I want it to have but I will probably end up editing it later on but for now, enjoy the cliff hanger and please leave a review if you want I greatly appreciate it. ~ ))


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